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The Western Australian Herbarium’s collections management system and census were set to read-only mode on 1 October 2025. Taxonomic updates published since this time are not being reflected in Florabase, herbarium collections, or Western Australia’s taxonomic names census (Nomos). Conservation listings displayed on Florabase may also be out of date. Please refer to DBCA’s Threatened species and communities webpage for the most recent Threatened and Priority Flora List, noting that recent taxonomic updates are similarly not included. Our database migration is moving to a staging phase. We thank you for your patience as we ensure the integrity of our biodiversity data, develop new workflows, and train staff to use the new systems. Please reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns.

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Ptilotus spicatus Benth.

Reference
Fl.Austral. 5:243 (1870)
Conservation Code
Not threatened
Naturalised Status
Native to Western Australia
Name Status
Current

Annual or perennial, herb, 0.25-1.5 m high. Fl. pink & white/red/purple, Mar to May or Aug. Clay, sandstone.

Amanda Spooner, Descriptive Catalogue, 31 August 1999
Image

Scientific Description

Annuals, stems single or several, more or less erect, glabrescent or glabrous, with nodose hairs. Leaves present, 5-70 mm long, 0.5-5 mm wide, glabrous; basal rosette absent; cauline leaves alternate. Spikes magenta or red, ovoid or cylindrical, solitary, with densely arranged flowers. Bracts (2.5-)2.7-3.5(-4) mm long, colourless, hairy, awned or mucronate, with a prominent midrib. Bracteoles (3.2-)3.5-4(-4.5) mm long, colourless, hairy, awned or mucronate, with a prominent midrib. Outer tepals (4.2-)5.2-6 mm long, entire. Inner tepals (4.2-)5.2-6 mm long, with a basal tuft of hairs on inner face. Style (2.5-)3-3.3(-4.6) mm long, curved or straight, centrally fixed to ovary. Seeds (1.2-)1.3-1.5 mm long, glossy, brown. Distribution: Northern and Eremaean Botanical Region; IBRA regions: Central Kimberley, Dampierland, Northern Kimberley, Ord Victoria Plains, Victoria Bonaparte.

R. Davis, 30 April 2019

Distribution

IBRA Regions
Central Kimberley, Dampierland, Great Sandy Desert, Northern Kimberley, Ord Victoria Plain, Victoria Bonaparte.
IBRA Subregions
Berkeley, Fitzroy Trough, Hart, Keep, McLarty, Mitchell, Mount Eliza, Pentecost, Purnululu, South Kimberley Interzone.
Local Government Areas (LGAs)
Derby-West Kimberley, Halls Creek, Wyndham-East Kimberley.